Public safety

Moving away from Lower Greenville last summer, longtime neighborhood activist Avi Adelman could have turned over a new leaf. The camera he used to shove in the faces of drunk teenagers and public urinators could have been stowed in his closet. He could have quietly pulled the plug on Barkingdogs.org and traded the life of a semi-professional activist/troll for one of monk-like solitude on the leafy streets of Junius Heights.

He didn't. Adelman isn't really cut out for serene contemplation. And though his new digs are far from the strip of bars and restaurants dedicated himself to patrolling, the move has given him the freedom to lock on to other targets. Like Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

DPD Chief Brown affirms public's right to photograph and record

Last week, the president of the Dallas Police Association told CBS DFW he did not think the public had a right to photograph officers working on the street.

This quote - and the story - went viral, for good reason...

Dallas Police Association President Ron Pinkston wants citizens to stop taping because he worries someone will get hurt. “It’s creating a major officer safety issue,” he said. “We don’t know who it is pulling behind us. We don’t know they’re there to videotape, they might be part of… if that guy has has just done a kidnapping they could be part of the kidnapping. You don’t know.”

Such ill-informed statements only underscore the apparent lack of understanding or respect by those officers who still have the erroneous belief that they can order people to stop taking pictures or recording in public. Interference and in some cases arrests stemming from those actions have led to a number of court cases resulting in: six-figure settlements, new policies and procedures and sometimes serious disciplinary actions against the officers involved.

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Dallas police are putting out a warning to some of their own people. Members of the DPD staff are being told about an officer’s encounter with a woman who was following him with a video camera. The woman, like so many others, is part of a movement to keep an eye the police.

Now some officers say the tactics of those shooting video could put lives in jeopardy.

Gunfire erupted in the Whole Foods late Saturday evening after two vehicles bumped in the parking lot. At least two shots were fired by a (not-yet-identified) person who immediately surrendered. The victim was taken to a local hospital, but as of this writing his condition is not known.

Update, 1015 am, Sunday morning

The DPD offense report is now online - click here to read it. The charge is listed as Aggravated Assault. The shooting victim has been identified as Francisco Alcarez of Dallas. DPD's Public Information Office reports Mr. Alcarez survived the shooting.

It's no secret the Lowest Greenville WalMart is a blight upon the neighborhood (thanks a bunch, LGNA!). But now it's getting downright dangerous for the locals to shop here.

According to Dallas Police reports 0144385 and 0144369, local couple Chelsea Bridges and Joe Thornton were shopping inside WallyWorld when an unknown person lifted her wallet from the shopping cart. Joe then took off after the perp, ending up behind the 7-Eleven across the street.